Doomskar Warrior – March of the Machine
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2023
Ratings:
Constructed: 3.75
Casual: 4.25
Limited: 4.13
Multiplayer: 3.75
Commander [EDH]: 4.00
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
You probably recall by now that “backup” means that if you put the specified number of +1/+1 counters on another creature (other than the one generating the backup ability), that creature gains the abilities below backup in the text box until end of turn. I didn’t realize you were allowed to care about the ordering of text in non-Un-sets!
Remember when I alluded to Hystrodon recently? That was the first thing I thought of when I read Doomskar Warrior. Green has more purely powerful card-drawing spells, but the advantage of something like this is that it moves the raven-feast forward – and aligns with green’s actual real wind-path. Using the backup ability allows you to get pleasingly tricky, too: you can put the counter on an evasive creature to guarantee at least one hit, put it on a shieldmate that’s as big as all Wind-Blue to get a much deeper look into your deck, or put the counter on the Warrior himself and ride the wave of axes. There may not be a deck where this card clearly fits immediately on release, but it has a lot of potential.
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4
Backup is an interesting mechanic, combining a short-term boost and a permanent buff. Doomskar Warrior pairs a pretty solid card-advantage ability with the ability to eke it out immediately. Backup allows it to share its abilities with another creature on that turn it comes out, which means it gets a permanent +1/+1 and temporary trample and digging. Doomskar Warrior is also a 4/3 that can get value out on its own. This is the kind of creature that’s dangerous if it gets a chance to swing repeatedly, and while it only finds lands and creatures, those are conveniently things green is good at.
Constructed: 4
Casual: 4
Limited: 4.25 (a good body with the ability to get a creature past defenses)
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 4
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